Kinematically linked optical components for light redirection

ABSTRACT

Embodiments described herein may relate to a system comprising a plurality of optical elements, comprising at least a first optical element and one or more secondary optical elements, a heliostat comprising the first optical element, where the heliostat is operable to move the first optical element to continuously reflect light from a non-stationary light source in a beam towards a first of the secondary optical elements, and where the secondary optical elements are arranged to re-direct the reflected beam of light towards an illumination target. The system further includes a controller configured to receive position data indicative of the position of the non-stationary light source over time, and in response to the position data, control at least the heliostat to continuously direct the beam of light towards the first of the secondary optical elements, such that the beam of light is continuously re-directed towards the illumination target.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in thissection are not prior art to the claims in this application and are notadmitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Many indoor spaces, particularly in urban areas, receive very limitedsunlight due sunlight being impeded by other buildings or structures.These spaces may typically be illuminated using artificial light whichmay not be as pleasant as natural sunlight. Furthermore, artificiallighting is costly, especially when trying to replicate the intensity ofsunlight; e.g., as might be done for purposes such as growing plants,for instance. It is also challenging and/or expensive to replicate orsimulate other benefits of sunlight, such as providing humans withvitamin D, heating interior spaces, and so on, with artificial lightand/or by other means.

SUMMARY

Because of the challenges of replicating sunlight with artificiallighting, solutions for redirecting sunlight to desired interior spacesare desirable. Some example systems disclosed herein use a series ofoptical elements, including a heliostat that tracks the movement of thesun, to redirect sunlight to desired areas, such as interior spaces thatreceive little or no sunlight. Such systems may be installed quickly andat a relatively low cost. Further, such systems may use a series ofoptical components to redirect sunlight through, e.g., a window oranother pre-existing opening to an interior space. As such, some examplesystems may allow for controllable natural lighting in interior spaces,without the need to alter the structure surrounding the space (e.g., bycutting a hole in the roof, as is typically required for a skylight orsolar tube).

In one aspect, a kinematically linked system may include a plurality ofoptical elements, comprising at least a first optical element and one ormore secondary optical elements, a heliostat comprising the firstoptical element, where the heliostat is operable to move the firstoptical element to continuously reflect light from a non-stationarylight source in a beam towards a first of the secondary opticalelements, where the secondary optical elements are arranged to redirectthe reflected beam of light towards an illumination target. The systemfurther includes a controller configured to receive position dataindicative of the position of the non-stationary light source over time,and in response to the position data, control at least the heliostat tocontinuously direct the beam of light towards the first of the secondaryoptical elements, such that the beam of light is continuously redirectedtowards the illumination target.

In another aspect, a kinematically linked system may include a pluralityof optical elements configured to direct light to a moveableillumination target, where the one or more optical elements comprise oneor more first optical elements and a final optical element, where theone or more first optical elements are arranged to receive light from alight source and reflect a beam of light along a path to the finaloptical element, where the final optical element is moveable tocontinuously re-direct the beam of light towards the moveableillumination target, and a controller configured to receive positiondata indicative of movement of the illumination target, and based atleast in part on the position data, move at least the final opticalelement to continuously re-direct the beam of light to the moveableillumination target during a movement of the moveable illuminationtarget.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a light redirectionsystem, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are non-stationary light redirection systems,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a method ofdetermining the mode of operation of a system, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate decision trees that an intelligent system mayfollow, according to exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates a system in artificial light mode, according toexemplary embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary methods and systems are described herein. It should beunderstood that the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving asan example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or featuredescribed herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other embodiments or features. Theexemplary embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. Itwill be readily understood that certain aspects of the disclosed systemsand methods can be arranged and combined in a wide variety of differentconfigurations, all of which are contemplated herein.

Furthermore, the particular arrangements shown in the Figures should notbe viewed as limiting. It should be understood that other embodimentsmay include more or less of each element shown in a given Figure.Further, some of the illustrated elements may be combined or omitted.Yet further, an exemplary embodiment may include elements that are notillustrated in the Figures.

Furthermore, the term “heliostat” as used herein should be understoodbroadly as an optical element configured to track and reflect light fromany source of illumination, and should not be limited to tracking andreflecting light from the sun. Although generally a heliostat is anoptical element configured to track and reflect light from the sunlight,the optical element described herein as a heliostat may track andreflect light from any stationary and non-stationary source of lightincluding but not limited to, the sun, the moon, ambient light sources,diffused light, lasers, and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

I. Overview

Many areas in modern cities may receive limited direct sunlight, due totheir proximity to buildings and/or their geographical location. Suchareas may include both outdoor and indoor spaces in a city. For example,rooms within buildings may receive limited sunlight due to an adjacenttaller building blocking the sunlight from reaching the room. The roommay also be facing the west, and thus does not receive sunlight as thesun rises from the east. Other areas, for various other reasons, mayreceive sunlight only for a limited time of the day.

Artificial lighting is a common solution for illuminating areas thatreceive little or no natural lighting. There are a number of drawbacksto the use of artificial lighting, as compared to natural sunlight. Forexample, some may not find artificial lighting as pleasant as naturallight. From a consumer's perspective, sunlight is essentially free,while artificial lighting is costly. Electric bills for artificiallighting can be high, especially when trying to replicate the intensityof sunlight; e.g., as might be done for purposes such as growing plants.Artificial lighting technology that actually replicates and/or simulatesthe benefits and/or strength of sunlight, such as providing humans withvitamin D, heating interior spaces, and so on, with artificial light,can also be very expensive.

Some solutions to this problem utilize sunlight to illuminate unlitareas by installing apertures for sunlight to pass through. However,these solutions, such as skylights or solar tubes, may be impracticalfor certain indoor areas, and installation can prohibitively expensive(e.g., requiring holes be cut in roofs and walls, and perhaps alteringbuilding support structures). Further, such solutions are not apractical solution for shaded outdoor areas.

Accordingly, example embodiments may kinematically link opticalcomponents to dynamically redirect a beam of light to a desired area,such as an interior room that receives little to no natural lightthrough its window(s). In other embodiments, kinematically linkedoptical components may be used to redirect sunlight to a desired area tosupplement the sunlight that the area may already receive. Further,example embodiments may help to provide such benefits at a relativelyaffordable price, and/or with considerably less installation effort, ascompared to existing solutions such as skylights and solar tubes.

For instance, an example system may include: (a) a heliostat configuredto track a non-stationary light source, and to reflect a beam of lightto one or more secondary optical elements, (b) the one or more secondaryoptical elements are configured to redirect the beam of light to anillumination target, and (c) a controller configured to receive positiondata indicative of the position of the non-stationary light source overtime, and to control at least the heliostat to continuously direct thebeam of light towards the first of the secondary optical elements, suchthat the beam of light is continuously redirected towards theillumination target.

In such a system, the non-stationary light source that the heliostattracks may be a source of natural light that moves over time, such assun or moon. The secondary optical elements that may be used to redirectthe beam of light from the light source may take on various forms. Forexample, at least one of the optical elements may be a mirror; which maybe a reflecting mirror, a cool mirror, or a dichroic mirror. Anotherexample of a secondary optical element used is a prism, which may beused to create visually appealing patterns of light in the illuminationtarget.

The illumination target may be determined by a user or intelligentlydetermined by a controller using sensor inputs. Thus, in order toredirect light to the determined illumination target, one or more of theoptical elements may be moveable, in addition to the heliostat. Forexample, a controller could consider various factors and move one ormore of the optical components to change the path of the reflectedlight, so as to intelligently switch between a number of differenttargets. As specific examples, a controller could move one or more ofthe optical components to switch between illuminating different rooms asthe illumination target, to switch between different areas in the sameroom as the illumination target, and/or to switch between an interiorroom and a solar cell (which might put electricity back into the grid)as the illumination target, among other possibilities.

In one implementation, a system is used to kinematically link opticalcomponents to redirect sunlight to a specified illumination target. Inthis system, a heliostat is used to track the movement of the sun and toreflect the sunlight to the secondary optical elements that in turnredirect the beam of light to a target area inside a room of a building.In a further aspect, the controller may receive an input from a userdefining the illumination target in the room. Such functionality mayallow for various useful features, such as control of an example systemto direct sunlight to desired areas in a room via an application on amobile phone or tablet.

In a further aspect of some embodiments, the system controller mayutilize peripheral information (e.g., from motion sensors, cameras,etc.) to detect whether a user is in the room. Then, if a user isdetected in the room, the controller may responsively adjust one or moreof the optical elements to redirect the sunlight into the room. And, ifthe user is not in the room, the controller may responsively adjust oneor more of the optical elements to redirect the sunlight to a secondtarget area, which serves a different purpose. For instance, thecontroller may adjust the system of optical elements to direct sunlightto a solar cell. The solar cell may be configured to “put back”electricity into the grid (such that the user might be paid for theircontribution) and/or to charges batteries that power the user's devicesor home electronics (e.g., such as DC power source for the user's home).In another example, the controller may use peripherals (e.g. sensors,smart temperature systems, etc.) to determine whether the temperature ina room, into which the optical elements may be redirecting sunlight,exceeds a predetermined temperature. If it does, the controller mayadjust optical elements to redirect the sunlight onto the second targetarea; a solar cell, for example.

In another implementation, the optical element of the heliostat may be aparabolic solar collector, which focuses sunlight that is received overa large area into a small beam. The small beam is then directed to thesecondary optical elements which then redirect the beam to theillumination target.

In yet another implementation, a system is used to kinematically linkoptical components to redirect light to illuminate a moveableillumination target. The controller may be configured to adjust theoptical elements to redirect light to illuminate the moveableillumination target. In one example, the system includes a roboticsystem configured to track the position of the moveable illuminationtarget. The robotic system then changes its position based on theposition of the illumination target area. In this example, a light isthus used to direct the movement of a robotic system.

II. Illustrative Light Redirection Systems

In accordance with an example embodiment, a light redirection system mayinclude various components, including an illumination source, a primaryoptical element, one or more secondary optical elements, and acontroller, collectively configured to kinematically link opticalcomponents to redirect light to an illumination target.

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating the components of alight redirection system, according to an exemplary embodiment. Inparticular, FIG. 1 shows light redirection system 100 that may redirectlight emanating from illumination source 102 to illumination target 108by kinematically linking primary optical element 104 and one or moresecondary optical elements 106. Components 102-108 of system 100 may belocated in either an outdoor space or an indoor space. In certainembodiments, all of the components of system 100 may be located ineither an outdoor space or an indoor space. In other embodiments,certain components of system 100 may be located in an outdoor space,while other components are located in an indoor space. In an example,illumination source 102, primary optical element 104, and one or moresecondary optical elements 106 may be located in an outdoor space whileillumination target 108 is located in an indoor space. In otherexamples, illumination source 102, primary optical element 104, and anumber of secondary optical elements 106 may be located in an outdoorspace, while the rest of secondary elements 106 and illumination target108 may be located in an indoor space. Other arrangements of components102-108 of system 100 may also be possible.

Furthermore, system 100 may also include controller 110. Controller 110may control one or more components of components 102-108 of system 100.Controller 110 may also be configured to receive input from inputsources 112 and 114. Specifically, controller 110 may be configured toreceive input, in the form of data, from peripherals 112, which may besensors for instance. In other examples, controller 110 may receive auser input 114. For example, controller 110 may receive an input from auser via a mobile phone application that may be connected to system 100.

Accordingly, system 100 may include one or more communication systems tocommunicate with devices (peripherals) and/or networks that may providedata and/or inputs. As such, system 100 may be configured forcommunication with remote devices. For example, controller 110 maycommunicate with a mobile device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer,a server, a GPS satellite, or any network-connected device. Further, thecommunications systems may include one or more wireless interfacesand/or one or more wireline interfaces, which allow controller 110 tocommunicate via one or more networks. Such wireless interfaces mayprovide for communication under one or more wireless communicationprotocols, such as Bluetooth, WiFi (e.g., an IEEE 802.11 protocol),Long-Term Evolution (LTE), WiMAX (e.g., an IEEE 802.16 standard), aradio-frequency ID (RFID) protocol, near-field communication (NFC),and/or other wireless communication protocols. Such wireline interfacesmay include an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB)interface, or a similar interface to communicate via a wire, a twistedpair of wires, a coaxial cable, an optical link, a fiber-optic link, orother physical connection to a wireline network.

Further, in embodiments of system 100, illumination source 102 may be astationary illumination source while in other embodiments it may be anon-stationary illumination source that moves over time. Examples ofnon-stationary illumination sources include, but are not limited to,sources of natural light such as the sun. Examples of stationaryillumination sources include, but are not limited to, artificial sourcesof light such as high intensity Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). In exampleembodiments, system 100 may be configured to redirect light from bothnon-stationary and stationary sources at different times. As an example,system 100 may be configured to track the sun and redirect its lightduring the day, and then track the moon and redirect its light duringthe night. The same system may also be configured to redirect light froma high intensity LED (stationary source) in instances where naturallight is obstructed from reaching the system. In a further example,system 100 may be configured to track the sun and redirect its lightduring sunny days, and on days when it is cloudy, system 100 may beconfigured to redirect light from a high intensity LED.

To utilize light emanating from illumination source 102, primary opticalelement 104 is located in an area where it may be illuminated byillumination source 102. Primary optical element 104 may be configuredto continually reflect a substantial amount of light from illuminationsource 102 to secondary optical elements 106. In example embodiments,primary optical element 104 may be a heliostat comprising an opticalelement. In this implementation, the heliostat may be configured totrack the movement of illumination source 102 over time, and tocontinuously reflect light from illumination source 102 to secondaryoptical elements 106. Primary optical element 104 in the form of aheliostat may be one of several different structures. For example, theheliostat may be a heliostat comprising a planar mirror as the opticalelement. In other examples, the optical element of the heliostat may bea circular, parabolic, or any other shape of mirror. Yet in otherexamples, the optical element of the heliostat may include a number ofindividual mirrors arranged in an array that may be configured tocontinually reflect light from illumination source 102.

In exemplary embodiments, primary optical element 104, in the form of aheliostat, may be mounted on an altazimuth mount configured to rotatethe optical element about two mutually perpendicular axes. Rotationabout the first axis, the vertical axis, varies the azimuth angle of theheliostat. Rotation about the second axis, the horizontal axis, variesthe altitude angle of the heliostat. Adjusting the angles of thealtazimuth mount may determine not only the amount of light incident onthe primary optical element, but also may determine the reflection angleof incident light.

In some embodiments, controller 110 may control the adjustment of thealtazimuth mount's angles. In an example, controller 110 may receivedata, such as GPS coordinates detailing the position of optical elementsof system 100, from network-connected devices. Controller 110 may alsoreceive positioning data, which is indicative of the positioning ofnon-stationary illumination sources. Controller 110 may use the data itreceives to continually track a non-stationary illumination source.Controller 110 may then responsively adjust the angles of the altazimuthmount so that heliostat 104 may reflect light emanating from thenon-stationary illumination source.

Primary optical element 104 may reflect incident light, emanating fromillumination source 102, towards one or more secondary optical elements106. Exemplary embodiments may consist of one secondary optical elementconfigured to redirect the beam of light, which is reflected fromprimary optical element 104, to illumination target 108. Otherembodiments may consist of a number of secondary optical elementsarranged in a series. In this implementation, light reflected from theprimary optical element is redirected, via the secondary opticalelements of the series, towards the illumination target. For example,secondary optical elements 106 may consist of three optical elementsarranged in a series. The first secondary optical element may beconfigured to redirect light, which is reflected from primary opticalelement 104, towards the second secondary optical element, which in turnmay redirect the light towards the third secondary optical element(which in this case is also the final optical element in the system). Assuch, the third optical element may be configured to redirect the lighttowards illumination target 108.

Further, one or more secondary optical elements 106 may be one of manypossible optical elements. Examples of possible secondary opticalelements include, but are not limited to, reflecting mirrors, dichroicmirrors, cool mirrors, concentrators, and prisms. Other optical elementsmay be used as secondary optical elements as well. Within examples,mirrors may be used to redirect light in an exemplary system. Reflectingmirrors may come in a variety of shapes and sizes, i.e. circular,planar, parabolic, and so on. Dichroic mirrors may have significantlydifferent reflection properties at different wavelengths. For example,dichroic mirrors may be configured to reflect certain wavelengths whileabsorbing/transmitting other wavelengths of light. Using this feature,dichroic mirrors may be configured to reflect a certain color of lightfrom the visible spectrum. In other examples, concentrators may be usedto focus light into a beam that is directed towards a focal point.Examples of concentrators include concave mirrors and fresnel lenses. Inyet other examples, prisms may be used as secondary optical elements todisperse light. Additionally, in embodiments with a number of secondaryoptical elements, one or more elements may be the same, while otherelements may be different. For example, a number of secondary opticalelements may all be reflecting mirrors except for the last secondaryoptical element (also the final optical element of the system), whichmay be a prism for example.

Furthermore, the final optical element of a system, which is one of theone or more secondary optical elements, may be moveable. In exampleembodiments, the final optical element may be mounted on a moveable arm.Further, the moveable arm may be automated and governed by controller110 of system 100. Thus, controller 110 may control the orientation ofthe final optical element of system 100. In some embodiments, controller110 may adjust the orientation of the final optical element in order tochange illumination target 108. For example, controller 110 may receivean input directing controller 110 to change illumination target 108. Inresponse, controller 110 may adjust the orientation of the final opticalelement in order to illuminate updated illumination target 108.

The final optical element of a system 100 may be configured to redirectlight to illumination target 108. Within examples, illumination target108 may be an outdoor space or an indoor space that does not receivesubstantial natural lighting. For instance, illumination target 108 maybe inside a room of a building that light is obstructed from reaching.The room may be a room of a residential home, apartment, or a large areain a warehouse. In other embodiments, illumination target 108 may be anoutdoor space that does not receive substantial natural lighting due toits geographical location and/or the positioning of other structure inits surroundings. Outdoor spaces may include patios, urban gardens, andparks. Furthermore, within examples, illumination target 108 mayintelligently be determined by controller 110. For example, controller110 may use the data it receives from peripherals and/ornetwork-connected devices to determine illumination target 108. In otherexamples, system 100 may be controlled by a user, such that a user maydefine illumination target 108 via an input to controller 110.Accordingly, light redirection system 100 may be unique to a specificuser. For example, a user may install system 100 such that the systemmay redirect light to an area that may only be specified by the user.For instance, the user may install system 100 in the proximity of abuilding such that light is redirected into an illumination targetwithin the user's space (e.g. apartment, or room within the apartment.).In other examples, the user may be a corporation, where system 100 maybe configured to redirect light into a warehouse or building of thecorporation.

III. Modes of Operation

A light redirection system may be used to kinematically link opticalcomponents for a variety of purposes. As such, a light redirectionsystem may have one or more modes of operation, where each mode isconfigured to redirect light for a specific purpose. For example, alight redirection system may have an illumination mode, where the systemmay be configured to redirect light to a target for illuminationpurposes. A light redirection system may also have operation modesconfigured to redirect light for heating purposes, aesthetic purposes,and/or energy generation purposes. Other modes of operation may bepossible as well. In example embodiments, a light redirection system,which may interchangeably be called a kinematically linked system, maybe configured to carry out only one mode of operation. In otherembodiments, a system may also be configured to carry out severaldifferent modes of operation.

As noted above, a light redirection system may have several modes ofoperation. Specific examples will now be discussed with regards to lightredirection systems operating in different modes, such as for thevarious systems discussed above. Note that these examples are providedfor exemplary purposes only and are not meant to be limiting.Furthermore, exemplary systems illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C maybe used to explain several different modes of operation.

A. Illumination Mode

In an exemplary mode of operation, a light redirection system may beconfigured to redirect light to an illumination target for illuminationand aesthetic purposes. FIG. 2A illustrates a light redirection system,according to an exemplary embodiment. In certain embodiments, system 200may be operating in illumination mode. Specifically, system 200 mayinclude non-stationary illumination source 202, primary optical element204, and secondary optical element 206. Furthermore, secondary opticalelement 206 is also the final optical element of system 200.Accordingly, element 206 may be interchangeably referred to as secondaryoptical element 206 and final optical element 206. As can be seen inFIG. 2A, the positioning of illumination source 202 may be such thatroom 216 may not be illuminated by the illumination source. However,even if illumination source 202 was in a different position, room 216may not be illuminated by illumination source 202 as building 212 mayimpede light 214 from reaching the room through window 218.

In an example embodiment of system 200, the controller of the system(not shown) may receive an input directing the system to operate inillumination mode. The controller may receive the input from a user, viaa mobile device for instance. Further, the controller may also receivedata from a network, satellite, and/or a network-connected device,detailing at least the GPS coordinates of the optical elements of system200, the positioning data of non-stationary illumination source 202, andthe specified illumination target. In this implementation,non-stationary illumination source 202 may be the sun, primary opticalelement 204 may be a heliostat comprising a circular mirror, secondaryoptical element 206 may be a planar mirror mounted on to arm 208attached to building 210, and the specified illumination target area isroom 216.

Based at least on the data it receives, the controller may adjust theorientation of heliostat 204 to continually track the movement of sun202. The controller may further adjust heliostat 204's alignment inorder to ensure that a substantial amount of sunlight 214 is reflectedinto a beam of light 220. FIG. 2C illustrates an example adjustment ofthe orientation of heliostat 204. As can be seen in FIG. 2C, theposition of non-stationary source of illumination has changed.Accordingly, the controller of system 260 may track the change in theposition of source 262 using at least the solar positioning data it hasreceived. In response to the change in position of non-stationary source262, the controller may adjust the orientation of heliostat 264 in orderto continually reflect a substantial amount of light into beam of light280. As explained above, the controller may adjust the orientation ofheliostat 264 by adjusting the angles of the heliostat's altazimuthmount. Graph 282 illustrates the angle adjustment that the controllermay make in adjusting the positioning of heliostat 204. As shown ingraph 282, heliostat 204 was oriented at an angle of elevation α, as canbe seen in FIG. 2A. In response to the change in position ofillumination source 262, the controller may adjust the angle ofelevation of heliostat 264 to β. Therefore, by adjusting the angles ofheliostat 204, system 200 may continually track sun 202, and maycontinually reflect sunlight 214 into beam of light 220.

Furthermore, heliostat 204 may be orientated such that beam of light 220is directed towards mirror 206. Mirror 206 may then reflect beam oflight 220 through window 218 and into room 216 (the illuminationtarget), thereby illuminating it. Within examples, secondary opticalelement 206 of system 200 may illuminate room 216 in different mannersdepending on the choice of optical element. For example, secondaryoptical element 206 may be a prism, which may be used to disperse lightinto room 216, thereby creating a visually appealing pattern of light.In other examples, secondary optical element 206 may be a concentrator,which may be configured to focus light into room 216. In yet otherexamples, secondary optical element 206 may be a dichroic mirror, whichmay be configured to illuminate room 216 with a certain light color.

FIG. 2B illustrates a kinematically linked system 230 that may operatein illumination mode, according to exemplary embodiments. Withinexamples, system 230 may include a number of secondary optical elements,where the last secondary optical element may also be a final opticalelement of the system. As in exemplary system 200 of FIG. 2A, whensystem 230 is in illumination mode, it may operate by redirecting lightfrom sun 232 to an illumination target. However, system 230 may includemore than one secondary optical element. Specifically, system 230includes two secondary optical elements, elements 236 and 252, which maybe configured to redirect beam of light 250 towards an illuminationtarget. As can be seen in FIG. 2B, beam of light 250 may be redirectedfrom element 236 to element 252, which then may redirect the light tothe illumination target. In example embodiments, element 236 and element252 may be the same type of optical element. For instance, elements 236and 252 may both be a mirror. In other embodiments, secondary elements236 and 252 may be different types of optical elements. For instance,element 236 may be a mirror, while element 252 may be a prism.Furthermore, secondary optical element 252, the last optical element ofsystem 230, may also be referred to as final optical element 252.

The final optical element of a system may be attached to an adjustablearm. The arm may also be automated and governed by the controller of thelight redirection system. In an example, final optical element 252illustrated in FIG. 2B, is attached to arm 238, which may be moveable.As such, the controller of system 230 may adjust the orientation offinal optical element 252. Changing the orientation of final opticalelement 252 may consequently change the illumination target of system230. For example, adjusting the tilt of final optical element 252 mayraise or lower the illumination area. Furthermore, adjusting theorientation of final optical element 252 may control the amount of lightthat is reflected to the illumination target.

In an example embodiment, system 230 may receive an input directing thesystem to change the illumination target. In response, the controller ofsystem 230 may adjust the orientation of final optical element 252 toredirect light to the specified illumination target. Within examples,controller 230 may receive an input from a user via a mobile devicedetailing the illumination target. In an example, the illuminationtarget may be a specific area within room 246. For instance, a userinput may direct the controller to adjust the final optical element toredirect light to a living area within room 246, where the user may besitting. Consequently, the controller may adjust arm 238 to redirectlight to the area directed by the user's input.

In example embodiments, arm 238 may be governed by the controller ofsystem 230 such that final optical element 252 may have a wide range ofpossible orientations. Further, the choice of final optical element 252may determine the manner in which light is redirected to theillumination target. For example, final optical element 252 may be avariable concentrator. The variable concentrator may consist of severaldifferent lenses that may focus incident light into different beamsizes. In example embodiments, a user may request system 230 to focuslight on to a specific area. For instance, a user may be reading a bookwhile sitting in a living area within room 246. As such, rather thanilluminating the entire living area, the user may request a smaller beamthat may illuminate the pages of the book that the user is reading.

In other example embodiments, the controller may intelligently determineto operate in illumination mode based on the data it receives fromperipherals and/or network-connected devices. The data received by thecontroller may include information about the status of the room, such ascurrent occupancy, temperature, and so on. In an example, the controllermay intelligently determine to operate system 230 in illumination modebased on a time of the day. In other examples, the controller mayreceive data from a motion sensor indicating that a user has enteredinto room 246. In response, the controller may determine to operatesystem 230 in illumination mode.

Furthermore, the controller may use the data that it receives fromperipherals and/or network-connected devices to determine theillumination target. The controller may then adjust the final opticalelement to illuminate the determined illumination target. Exampleperipherals include, but are not limited to, sensors including motionsensors, cameras, and thermostats. Example network-connected devicesinclude mobile devices, laptops, smart home automation systems, andsmart thermostats.

In an example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2B, non-stationaryillumination source 232 may be the sun, primary optical element 234 maybe a heliostat comprising a circular mirror, secondary optical element236 may be a planar mirror mounted attached to building 240, and finaloptical element 252 may be a mirror. In an example, system 230 mayilluminate room 246 in a way that mimics the illumination of sun 232throughout the day. Specifically, the controller may receive data from aserver indicating the position of the sun throughout the day. Thecontroller then continually adjusts mirror 252 to reflect light in amanner that mimics the illumination of sun 232 throughout the day. Assuch different amounts of light may be reflected into different sectionsof room 246 throughout the day.

In another example embodiment, the controller may receive data from amotion sensor indicating that a user has entered room 246. Thecontroller of system 230 may then adjust final optical element 252,which may be a mirror, to reflect light to illuminate the entire room.In other examples, final optical 252 may be a concentrator configured tofocus light into a specific target area. In an example, the controllermay use sensors installed in room 246 to detect the movement of a userin room 246. As such, the controller may adjust concentrator 252 toredirect a focused beam of light to follow the user around the room. Inother examples, the controller may determine the manner of illuminatingroom 246, depending on the number of people in the room. For example,the controller may receive data from sensors in room 246 indicating thenumber of people in the room. The controller may also receive data fromsensors in room 246 indicating the location of people in the room.Consequently, if a number of people occupy the room, the controller mayadjust final optical element 252 to illuminate the entire room, ratherthan a portion of it, as it may do when a single person is occupying theroom.

In yet other examples, light emanating from non-stationary illuminationsource 232 may be obstructed from reaching primary optical element 234.For example, on a cloudy day, sunlight may be obstructed from reachingheliostat 234. As such, the controller of system 230 may receive dataindicating that light is obstructed from reaching heliostat 234. Thecontroller may then adjust heliostat 234 to redirect light emanatingfrom a stationary illumination source (not shown). For instance, system230 may redirect light to room 246 from a high intensity LED on dayswhen it is cloudy and sunlight is obstructed from reaching heliostat234. In yet other example embodiments, system 230 may be configured toredirect light to room 246 during emergency situations. For example,during a severe storm, there may be a power outage, and as a result room246 will go dark. In these situations, system 230 may be configured toredirect light from a stationary illumination source, which may bebattery powered or connected to a generator, to room 246. Other exampleembodiments are possible.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method 300, according to an exampleembodiment. Method 300 may be implemented by a kinematically linkedsystem in order to redirect light from a non-stationary illuminationsource to an illumination target. Illustrative methods, such as method300, may be implemented by kinematically linked systems, such as thesystems described in reference to FIG. 1, and/or by the controller ofsuch systems.

Furthermore, it is noted that the functionality described in connectionwith the flowcharts described herein can be implemented asspecial-function and/or configured general-function hardware modules,portions of program code executed by a processor for achieving specificlogical functions, determinations, and/or steps described in connectionwith the flowchart shown in FIG. 3. Where used, program code can bestored on any type of computer-readable medium, for example, such as astorage device including a disk or hard drive.

In addition, each block of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 may representcircuitry that is wired to perform the specific logical functions in theprocess. Unless specifically indicated, functions in the flowchart shownin FIG. 3 may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed,including substantially concurrent execution of separately describedfunctions, or even in reverse order in some examples, depending on thefunctionality involved, so long as the overall functionality of thedescribed method is maintained.

As shown by block 302 of FIG. 3, method 300 may include an exemplarylight redirection system making a determination to operate inillumination mode. The system may make the determination in response toa user input directing the system to operate in illumination mode. Thedetermination to operate in illumination mode may also be madeintelligently by the controller of the system. The controller of thesystem may use data it receives in making the determination to operatein illumination mode. For example, a system may be configured toredirect light into a room when a user may be in it. As such, thecontroller of the system may receive data indicating the presence of auser in the room from a motion sensor. The controller may thenintelligently make a determination to operate in illumination mode. Inanother example, the system may be preconfigured to operate inillumination mode during certain times of the day set by the user of thesystem.

After making the determination to operate in illumination mode, thesystem may receive position data indicative of the position of thenon-stationary source over time, as explained in block 304. For example,the non-stationary source may be the sun. Consequently, the controllermay receive data, from a network-connected server for instance, thatdetails the position of the sun throughout that day.

As shown by block 306, the system may further receive data indicative ofthe location of the heliostat and of the secondary optical elements. Forexample, the data may include the GPS coordinates of the heliostat andof the secondary optical elements. In other examples, the data mayinclude an identifier of whether an optical element is located indoorsor outdoors.

Finally, as shown by block 308, the system may use the position data ofthe non-stationary source and of the optical elements to calculate thealignment of adjustable optical elements. Examples of adjustable opticalelements of the system may include a heliostat of the system and thefinal optical element of the system. In an example embodiment, thesystem may calculate the alignment of the optical elements that mayreflect the most amount of light possible to an illumination target ofthe system. In other examples, the system may calculate the alignmentsuch that the system may reflect only a certain amount of light. Forexample, a user of the system may request the illumination of the targetnot to exceed a certain amount. Thus, the system may use the positiondata to calculate the orientation of the optical elements in order tostay below the threshold set by the user. In other embodiments, the usermay request the light to illuminate a specific area. As such, the systemmay calculate the orientation of optical elements in order to illuminatethe area defined by the user.

B. Energy Generation Mode

In an exemplary mode of operation, a light redirection system may beconfigured to redirect light to an illumination target for energygeneration purposes. In example embodiments, a light redirection systemmay redirect sunlight to a solar cell to generate energy. The solarcells may be part of one of many different power grids or circuits. Forexample, the solar cells may be connected to a local micro-gridinstalled in the same building or structure that the light redirectionsystem is installed in the proximity of. A micro-grid may function bothas part of the main energy grid and as an isolated grid unique to thebuilding that it may be connected to. The micro-grid may also be uniqueto a user within a building. As such, in example embodiments, the lightredirection system may meet all the energy demands of a user byredirecting light onto solar cells part of a micro-grid unique to theuser. In other examples, if the energy demands of user are high, a lightredirection system may supplement the energy supplied from the main gridto the user. In yet other examples, a light redirection system maycharge a storage cell of the micro-grid by redirecting light to a solarcell that may be connected to the micro-grid. The storage cell may be abattery, a supercapacitor, a fuel cell, or any other energy storagecell. The storage cell may be used to supplement power from the maingrid in periods of high energy demand, and may also be used in emergencysituations.

In other embodiments, a light redirection system may help transfer powerinto the main grid by redirecting light to solar cells that may supplypower to the main grid. In embodiments, the solar cells may supply powerto the main grid via a micro-grid's connection to the main grid. Inother embodiments, the solar cells may be directly connected to the maingrid. As such, the solar cells may “put back” power into the grid bygenerating power that is supplied to the main grid when light isredirected onto the solar cells. In embodiments where power may besupplied to the main grid, the user may receive compensation from theutility operating the main grid. For example, a user that supplies powerto the main grid may receive credits on their utility bill. In otherexamples, a user may sell the energy to the utility at the energy marketprice at that time.

In yet other embodiments, a user may configure a light redirectionsystem to be used by a different user, a neighbor for example, forenergy generation. For example, a neighbor of a user may request lightto be redirected onto one or more solar cells that may be connected to amicro-grid operated by the neighbor. The neighbor may request light tobe redirected from a user's system for other purposes as well.

Many factors may affect a system making a determination to operate inenergy generation mode. For example, a user may direct the system, via amobile device for instance, to operate in energy generation mode. Inother embodiments, a system may intelligently make the determination tooperate in energy generation mode. For example, a system may use thedata that it receives from peripherals and/or network connected devicesto make a determination to operate in energy generation mode. Forinstance, the system may receive data from a motion sensor indicatingthat a room, to which the system was redirecting light to, is empty. Thesystem may then redirect the light to one or more solar cells togenerate energy. In other examples, the system may receive data fromother peripherals such as a smart thermostat system. The data that thesystem receives from the smart thermostat may be indicative of thecurrent temperature of the room to which the system may be redirectinglight to. If the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the system maymake the determination to operate in energy generation mode.

Due to the many factors that may affect a system making a determinationto operate in generation mode, a system may make decisions in accordancewith exemplary algorithms that may be represented by decision trees. Anexemplary decision tree may depend on a user's predefined preferences,which a user may define via a mobile device, for instance. In anexample, the user may set the temperature of the room at which thesystem switches from illumination mode to energy generation mode. Inother examples, the user may set preferences according to several ifstatements. For instance, the user's preference may be to operate inenergy generation mode if the room into which a system is redirectinglight is empty and if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example decision tree, which an exemplary lightredirection system may follow. Specifically, in block 402, the systemmay determine what the illumination source is. If the illuminationsource is an artificial light, the system may operate in an artificialmode. Example embodiments of artificial light mode will be explained inthe next section. If the illumination source is the sun, the systemmoves to decision block 404, which determines whether there are anyusers in the room to which the system may be redirecting light to. Ifthere are users in the room, the system may move to decision block 406which may determine whether the temperature exceeds a predefinedthreshold. If the temperature does not exceed a certain temperature, thesystem may move to block 408 to operate in illumination mode. If thetemperature exceeds the predefined threshold, the system moves to block410, which may determine whether the battery of the user's micro-grid isat capacity. If the battery is not at capacity, the system moves toblock 412 which may direct light to one or more solar cells that maycharge the battery. The battery of the micro-grid may be used to supplypower to a user when the user has high demand. The battery may alsosupply power to the user when there is a power outage from the maingrid. Other uses of the battery are also possible.

If the battery of the user's micro-grid is at capacity, the system maymove to decision block 414, which may determine whether the currentselling price of electricity in energy markets exceeds a certain price,which may be predefined by the user. If the current selling price ofelectricity exceeds a certain price, the system may move to block 416,which may sell the energy generated by one or more solar cells to autility at market price. The power generated may be transmitted to themain grid directly or via the user's micro-grid. If the current sellingprice of electricity does not exceed a certain price, the system maymove to block 418, which may determine whether a neighbor is interestedin buying energy from a user. For example, the system may send a textmessage to the neighbor asking whether the neighbor would like to buypower from the user at a certain price. If the neighbor is notinterested in buying energy from the user, the system may move to block416, which may sell the energy generated by one or more solar cells to autility below the price set by the user. The power generated may betransmitted to the main grid directly or via the user's micro-grid. Ifthe neighbor is interested in buying energy, the system may move toblock 420, which may determine whether the selling price to the neighboris higher than the market price at which the utility may be buying powerat. If the price is not higher, the system may move to block 416, whichmay sell the energy generated by one or more cells to the utility at themarket price. However, if the selling price to the neighbor is higher,the system may move to block 422, which may redirect the light for theneighbor's use.

The order of the blocks of FIG. 4 may depend on a user's preference. Forexample, a user may choose to sell energy to the utility even if thereare users in the room, as the user may sell more power than the powerconsumed by the user. Thus, the user may be able to make a profit byselling power to the utility. In other examples, the system may querythe user in real time to make a decision regarding the mode ofoperation. For example, the system may inform a user of the currentmarket price of energy. The system may also inform the user whether itis economically advantageous to switch from one to another, and mayquery the user for an input directing the system. Another example of adecision tree that a light redirection system may use is illustrated inFIG. 5.

The above exemplary decision trees for determining the mode of operationfor a light redirection system are provided for illustrative purposesand are not intended to be limiting. It should be understood that otherdecision trees and/or algorithms may be used to determine the mode ofoperation for a light redirection system.

C. Artificial Light Mode

In an exemplary mode of operation, a kinematically linked system may beconfigured to redirect artificial light to an illumination target. In anexample embodiment, a light redirection system may be configured toredirect artificial light from a stationary source in a manner that maysimulate the illumination of sunlight. For example, a system may beconfigured to simulate the illumination of sunlight by redirecting lightfrom a high-intensity LED to an illumination target during times whensunlight may be blocked from illuminating the illumination target. Inother examples, a system may be configured to simulate the illuminationof sunlight by redirecting artificial light from a stationary sourceduring nighttime.

In an example embodiment, a light redirection system may be configuredto redirect artificial light to an illumination target during anemergency situation. For example, if there is a power outage, the lightredirection system may be configured to redirect light from anartificial source, which may be battery powered for instance, to anillumination target. As such, the illumination target may be illuminatedduring an emergency situation. In example embodiments, the lightredirection system may be configured to redirect light to a safe area ina building, so that the building's residents may be able to reach thesafe area during an emergency.

FIG. 6 illustrates an artificial light redirection system 600, accordingto exemplary embodiments. In exemplary embodiments, an artificial lightredirection system may be configured to track the movement of a roboticdevice within a building, and configured to illuminate the area in theproximity of the robotic device. A robotic device may need illuminationfor various sensors and cameras that robotic device may use to operate.Accordingly, an artificial light redirection system may continuallyredirect light to illuminate the area in proximity of the robotic deviceas the device moves. Specifically, a controller may be configured toreceive position data indicative of movement of the illumination target,and based at least in part on the position data, move at least the lastoptical element to continuously re-direct the beam of light to themoveable illumination target during a movement of the moveableillumination target.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, robotic device 602 may be operating in room604. Specifically, robotic device 602 may be located in region 606.Region 606 may be a fixed dimension region around robotic device 602,and as such may move as robotic device 602 moves. Further, lightredirection system 600 may redirect beam of light 608 from an artificialillumination source (not shown) via optical elements to the last opticalelement of system 600 (not shown), which may be moveable. The lastoptical element may be configured to continuously redirect beam of light608 to illuminate region 606. Consequently, robotic device maysuccessfully operate in region 606 using sensors that may needillumination to function.

The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particularembodiments described in this application, which are intended asillustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations canbe made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparentto those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods andapparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to thoseenumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from theforegoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intendedto fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The above detailed description describes various features and functionsof the disclosed systems, devices, and methods with reference to theaccompanying figures. In the figures, similar symbols typically identifysimilar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The exampleembodiments described herein and in the figures are not meant to belimiting.

Other embodiments can be utilized, and other changes can be made,without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matterpresented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of thepresent disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated inthe figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, anddesigned in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which areexplicitly contemplated herein.

A block that represents a processing of information may correspond tocircuitry that can be configured to perform the specific logicalfunctions of a herein-described method or technique. Alternatively oradditionally, a block that represents a processing of information maycorrespond to a module, a segment, or a portion of program code(including related data). The program code may include one or moreinstructions executable by a processor for implementing specific logicalfunctions or actions in the method or technique. The program code and/orrelated data may be stored on any type of computer readable medium suchas a storage device including a disk or hard drive or other storagemedium.

The computer readable medium may also include non-transitory computerreadable media such as computer-readable media that stores data forshort periods of time like register memory, processor cache, and randomaccess memory (RAM). The computer readable media may also includenon-transitory computer readable media that stores program code and/ordata for longer periods of time, such as secondary or persistent longterm storage, like read only memory (ROM), optical or magnetic disks,compact-disc read only memory (CD-ROM), for example. The computerreadable media may also be any other volatile or non-volatile storagesystems. A computer readable medium may be considered a computerreadable storage medium, for example, or a tangible storage device.

Moreover, a block that represents one or more information transmissionsmay correspond to information transmissions between software and/orhardware modules in the same physical device. However, other informationtransmissions may be between software modules and/or hardware modules indifferent physical devices.

The particular arrangements shown in the figures should not be viewed aslimiting. It should be understood that other embodiments can includemore or less of each element shown in a given figure. Further, some ofthe illustrated elements can be combined or omitted. Yet further, anexample embodiment can include elements that are not illustrated in thefigures.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, otheraspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes ofillustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scopebeing indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a plurality of opticalelements installed in a proximity of a building, the plurality ofoptical elements comprising at least a first optical element and one ormore secondary optical elements; a heliostat operable to move the firstoptical element to continuously reflect light from a non-stationarylight source in a beam towards the secondary optical elements, whereinthe secondary optical elements are arranged to redirect the reflectedbeam of light towards a first illumination target located in a room ofthe building, and wherein the room has an opening; sensors installed inthe room of the building; and a controller configured to: receiveposition data indicative of a position of the non-stationary lightsource over time; based on the position data, control at least theheliostat to continuously direct the beam of light towards the secondaryoptical elements, wherein a final secondary optical element redirectsthe beam of light through the opening towards the first illuminationtarget; receive an input indicating a current status of the room; basedon the input, determine a second illumination target; and in response tothe determination, adjust the final secondary optical element toredirect the beam of light towards the second illumination target. 2.The system of claim 1, wherein the non-stationary light source is anatural light source.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein one of thesecondary optical elements is a final optical element, and wherein thefinal optical element is moveable.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein thecontroller is further configured control the final optical element. 5.The system of claim 3, wherein the final optical element is a prism. 6.The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the secondary opticalelements is a mirror.
 7. The system of claim 3, wherein the room doesnot receive substantial light from the non-stationary light source. 8.The system of claim 1, wherein the input is an input from the sensorsinstalled in the room.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the input is aninput from one or more users.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein thecurrent status of the room is indicative of a number and location ofusers in the room.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the current statusof the room is a temperature of the room.
 12. The system of claim 1,wherein the illumination target is a solar cell.
 13. The system of claim1, wherein the heliostat includes a parabolic solar collector configuredto: focus the light from the light source into a small beam; and directthe small beam to the first of the secondary optical elements.
 14. Asystem comprising: a plurality of optical elements, wherein theplurality of optical elements are configured to direct light to follow amoveable illumination target deployed in an indoor environment, andwherein the plurality of optical elements comprise one or more firstoptical elements and a final optical element, wherein the one or morefirst optical elements are arranged to receive light from a light sourceand reflect a beam of light along a path to the final optical element,wherein the final optical element is moveable to continuously redirectthe beam of light towards the moveable illumination target; and acontroller configured to: receiving, from a sensor coupled to themoveable illumination target, position data indicative of movement ofthe moveable illumination target; and based at least in part on theposition data, move at least the final optical element to continuouslyredirect the beam of light to the moveable illumination target.
 15. Thesystem of claim 14, wherein the light source is a concentrated LED. 16.The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of opticalelements is a mirror.
 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the pluralityof optical elements are installed in a proximity of a building.